Designing for a Cause: San Joaquin Delta College Students Design for Habitat of Humanity

Written by guest blogger Natasha Raju

Every student in college learns the skills and techniques it takes to work in the real world, but the design students at the Interior Design Program at San Joaquin Delta College are learning what it really means to have hands-on experience.

The Interior Design professor, Mr. Ron Salto, is good friends with John Shores, who is the President of Habitat for Humanity of San Joaquin County Inc. The Habitat for Humanity is a national organization that has helped change the lives of more than 30,000 American families since being founded in San Antonio in 1978. Building more than 300,000 houses around the world and providing more than 1.5 million people with safe and affordable homes.

The Interior Design students’ involvement in the project with Habitat for Humanity include:
- Designing the interior of the homes
- Utilizing eco-friendly and sustainable materials
- Suggesting ideas for the exterior and the community itself
- Naming the subdivision project
- Create their own Interior Design Businesses, which included naming their business, considering all aspects of the designer’s positioning in the field.

On Wednesday, April 3, 2010, the students presented their ideas and Mr. Shores then critiqued the ideas and offered suggestions and insights into what might work and what would not, within the reality of the project.

Leslie Asfour, the San Joaquin Delta College Interior Design Program Director commented, 
"This is the first time that the Interior Design Program has been involved in such an extensive and significant project in our community that will not only impact the homeowners and their families, but the students, as well. They have an opportunity to use their design skills to make a real difference in their own community." She added, "This is what education is all about and what the vocational programs in a college should be teaching; it's not just about learning a trade to be successful, but also about making the community and the world a better place."

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